It’s springtime in our neck of the woods, and along with the flowers blooming, balmy temperatures and sunny days comes the annual spring ant invasion. Perhaps you’ve been experiencing this too? While we know the earth needs these little critters, we feel a little differently about how much our kitchens and windowsills need them. Many people deal with this issue by having their homes sprayed with insecticides; but what if you don’t want to use harsh chemicals to keep your house ant free? If you’re one of the people who would prefer to stay away from the exterminator, you’re not alone.

As you probably know by now, there are so many different things to do with essential oils. And though we usually talk about how we like to use them in private label skincare, they’re equally as versatile when used for household applications as they are on the skin. When it comes to ants, a very popular essential oil method is to take orange essential oil and either spray or rub it along all of the surfaces that you find ants. -Tweet That It is said that the ants do not like the scent of the orange essential oil and will not try to cross the barrier of the oil. You can also mix some white vinegar with the orange essential oil since the vinegar is supposed to help erase the scent trails that ants leave for each other when they find a source of food.

If you don’t have orange essential oil, you can also try this with citronella, though depending on your personal preference you may find that the smell is not as pleasant as the sweet and less pungent orange. Some also choose to use peppermint oil instead of the orange. Aside from being invigorating to smell, it is also supposed to keep spiders away as well! And just like the orange, you can mix these essential oils with some vinegar or choose to use them plain.

Different approaches work for different people, and since there are so many different types of ants you may find that a different remedy works best for you. However, if you haven’t tried this method and you’ve got an ant problem that needs taking care of, then give it a shot! If nothing else, you’ll have a great smelling house.